The Hitchhiker’s Guide to
XML Authoring

Is it time to move to XML authoring?

Wim Hooghwinkel

Technical Documentation Implementation, Consultant

"Top of mind subjects for technical documentation managers today include content reuse, multilingual, multichannel publishing, and rapid publishing. There's a clear need to produce high-quality content faster and deliver it across multiple devices. XML authoring is integral to achieving these goals, and DITA XML aids the process even further with standardized processing and content schemes. With changing industry requirements and end-user demands, this is the right time to move to XML. Fortunately, Adobe FrameMaker can help ease the transition to structured authoring by giving authors powerful publishing tools in an easy-to-use interface."

Is it time to move to XML authoring?

Bernard Aschwanden

Founder and President, Publishing Smarter

"Thinking XML? ID issues facing your team, your business, and your customers. If you have poor process, poor products, or poor markets, then XML will not save you on its own. If you aren’t effectively reusing content, managing translations, controlling reviews, leveraging multi-channel publishing, delivering to multiple devices, creating high-value (not high-word count) content, or running into documentation-based delays, then explore XML.""Clients we help switch to a structured workflow generally create content faster, of higher quality, and with more “future” to it. Ask yourself how you want to invest your resources. If it’s buying stock, buy value companies, buy early, then hold and prosper. If investing people, time, and your corporate resources, consider the value of XML. Do it now, and stick to your core principles and values. Your business will prosper."

Is it time to move to XML authoring?

Matt Sullivan

FrameMaker Certified Instructor, techcommtools.com

"Not everyone should be using structure. But the larger your document set, and the longer your document life cycle, the more you’ll benefit from a structured environment. Choosing a content model like DITA, S1000D, or other industry standard helps you quickly shift to a structured environment and ensure that your partners and your audience enjoy a seamless experience. I like to use Adobe FrameMaker for both structured and unstructured work, since I can help clients start in a simpler, unstructured environment and then later smoothly transition to their ideal content model."

Is it time to move to XML authoring?

Ray Gallon

Owner/Consultant, Culturecom

"The 'right time' to move to XML authoring is highly variable, depending on need and situation. The general wisdom is that XML is best for large organizations with high volumes of information to manage and strong potential for reuse. However, I am using DITA in a small startup situation with a small quantity of information. It's a new product (developed from scratch - thus no legacy content to migrate) and we have-despite the low volume—high reuse potential. This, combined with the product's projected evolution, makes DITA a good choice.""Something that is often overlooked is that XML enables the automation of certain processes. If the XML is lean and efficient, it's possible to imagine parsing XML on the fly, passing it through an automation script, and delivering dynamically customized content to any device, anywhere, tailored to each user. The opportunities for this are only beginning to be developed."

What is the latest in XML authoring?

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